March 2025: A new document Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Safeguarding Adults: What Good Looks Like (Communities of Practice) has been added.
The ‘What Good Looks Like’ Series
The “Mental Capacity Act and safeguarding adults: what good looks like” series of documents has been produced by the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Safeguarding Adults Board Learning & Development Subgroup.
These are seven documents which focus on different elements of the MCA.
Many thanks to Durham Safeguarding Adults Board for allowing us to adapt and re-brand their series of MCA guides for our local use.
- About Capacity, the Act and the Court of Protection
- Assessment Form and Expected Standards
- Best Interest Decision Making Process
- Capacity Assessments
- Mental Capacity Act 2005W and Safeguarding Adults: What Good Looks Like (Communities of Practice)
- Next of Kin, Living Wills, Attorneys, Deputies and Office of the Public Guardian
- Preferred communication and all practicable steps
The ‘How To’ Guides
The “How to” guides support staff in completing capacity assessments, relating to specific key decisions common to safeguarding.
The guides cover the following decisions:
- How to: Assess Mental Capacity to decide upon contact with others (PDF)
- How to : Assess Mental Capacity to decide upon contact with others (Word)
- How to: Assess Mental Capacity to manage financial affairs (PDF)
- How to: Assess Mental Capacity to manage financial affairs (Word)
- How to: Assess Mental Capacity for internet and social media use (PDF)
- How to: Assess Mental Capacity for internet and social media use (Word)
- How to: assess Mental Capacity in cases of self-neglect and refusal of services (PDF)
- How to: Assess Mental Capacity in cases of self-neglect and refusal of services (Word)
- How to: Assess Mental Capacity to engage in sexual relations (PDF)
- How to: Assess Mental Capacity to engage in sexual relations (Word)
Organisations within the partnership can use the guides to support practice and can also amended/add to in line with their own local requirements/needs if preferred. They do not replace any existing guides currently used by agencies.
The guides should be used alongside the Mental Capacity Act (2005), MCA Code of Practice (2005) and LLR Safeguarding Multi-Agency Policy and Procedures.
Guidance will be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure they remain up to date in line with case law, legal and procedural changes.
